authors (basic)
The pages on this site are WikiWikiWeb pages, which means that pages can be created and edited by multiple authors. To edit a page, click the Edit link that exists somewhere on the page, usually in the header or footer. Some pages may be password-protected, depending on the system's security policies, but many systems allow open editing of pages.

When editing a page, you see the markup text that describes the content of the page. The basic rules for page markup are fairly simple:

Put a blank line between paragraphs

To make a list, start each line with # for numbered (ordered) lists or * for bulleted (unordered) lists.

To make a heading, start a line with two or more ! marks; !! is a subheading, and !!! is a sub-subheading.

To emphasize text, enclose it in 2 or 3 single quotes; ''text'' for italics or '''text''' for bold.

To make a link to another page, enclose the page's name in double brackets; for example [[basic editing]] links to this page. Links to nonexistent pages? are displayed specially, to invite others to create the page.

If you want to experiment with editing a page, try it on the WikiSandbox. You can edit the WikiSandbox without affecting anything important on this site. If you do edit other pages, it's courteous to sign your contribution; using ~~~ effectively 'signs' the name that you provide in the Author field on the Page Edit form.

Examples

The table below demonstrates many of the common markups used to format pages. The left column shows the effect of the markup, the right column shows what to write to achieve the effect. More details are available from the text formatting rules and other documentation pages. An exhaustive list of default markup is available as the markup master index

General Usage

What it looks like

What to type

A single newline
usually doesn't affect the layout.
But it does ''(unfortunately)
affect'' mark up.

A single newline
usually doesn't affect the layout.
But it does ''(unfortunately)
affect'' mark up.

An author must

place an empty line in the markup to
start a new paragraph. For a breakin the paragraph, use two backslashes.

An author must
place an empty line in the markup to
start a new paragraph. For a break\\
in the paragraph, use two backslashes.

Lists are created by using asterisks

More asterisks result in deeper lists

The list is terminated

by the first line that is not a list

Numbered lists

are also possible

and lists can nest

* Lists are created by using asterisks
** More asterisks result in deeper lists
*** The list is terminated
by the first line that is not a list
# Numbered lists
# are also possible
** and lists can nest

A backslash at the end of a line joins the next line to the previous one.

Two backslashes create a line break.

Three backslashes generate

two line breaks.

* A backslash at the \
end of a line joins the \
next line to the previous one.
* Two backslashes create \\
a line break.
* Three backslashes generate\\\
two line breaks.

An arrow (->) indents an entire paragraph.

Longer arrows (-->) indent an entire paragraph more.

A reverse arrow (-<) creates a hanging indent, the first line is outdented and remaining lines are indented.

Headings and blocks

Major subheading

Minor subheading

And more

Subheadings

The (:title:) directive sets the page's title to something other than its name.

(:title Basic Editing:)

Block styles

All of the text in this block
is purple.

Purple cows and purple flowers

Purple people eater

Now this list is red

and this text is centered

and this text is right justified

And this is normal

>>purple<<
All of the text in this block
is purple.
* Purple cows and purple flowers
* Purple people eater
>>red<<
* Now this list is red
>>center<<
* and this text is centered
>>right<<
* and this text is right justified
>><<
* And this is normal